Internal combustion engine



Sept. 13, 1932. READ 1,877,051

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed May 9, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR HBHLFOl/E EEHD B. READ Sept. 13, 1932.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 9, 1950 INVENTORBHLFOU/i E5 70 BY QAdV /M I A TORNEYS Patented Sept. 13, 1932 UNITEDSTATES BALFOUR READ, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINEApplication filed May 9, 1930. Serial No. 450,934.

This invention relates to an improved internal combustion engine, andparticularly to the cylinder head construction and valve arrangementthereof.

' The main objects of this invention are to provide overhead valves inan internal combustion engine which are suitably inclined relative tothe axes of the cylinders thereof so as to allow gases to be fed to andexhausted from the cylinders through passageways communicating with theintake and exhaust manifold, respectively, which deviate but slightlyfrom a straight source in the general dlrection of the axes of thecylinders, thus encouraging a high volumetric efliciency to providecombustion chambers in a cylinder head which are restricted somewhat forproducing a turbulence in order to permit high compression of the fuelwithout detonation; to provide a cylinder head of this kind which isformed so as to permit the spark location of each cylinder to bepositioned closer to the center of mass of the combustion chamber thanin conventional overhead valve engine constructions in which the axes ofthe valves are parallel to the cylinder axes; to provide improved meansin valve structure of this kind by which adjustment of the valveclearance may be conveniently made while the en- ;:0 gine is running;and to provide means of this kind which will also take up for wearbetween the valve rocker arm and its support.

Further objects of the invention are to provide a cam shaft foroperating valves of the 5 above type which is located in a chamber onthe cylinder block in close proximity to the cylinder head block partingline for obviating the necessity of push rods, thereby reducing theweight and number of moving parts employed and the variations in valveclearance heretofore caused by thermal expansion of long trains of valveactuating mechanism; to provide an improved valve arrangement inconjunction with which a cooling system may be used that is capable ofretaining the valves and their associated parts at substantially lowoperating temperatures; to provide improved means for discharging a partor the whole of .the cooling medium directly upon the structuresurrounding the valve and seat before the medium has been exposed to thehigh temperature regions of the engine; to provide compresslon resistingmembers in a cylinder head for receiving the compressive forces of thehold down bolts of the cylinder head so 5 as to relieve those portionsof the structure in which the valve seats are formed from distortionunder the action of the bolts; and to provide internal combustionengines of improved, simple and inexpensive construction.

An illustrative embodiment of my invention is shown in theaccompanyingdrawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an internal combustion engine.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the engine. Fig. 3 is a plan view of theengine showing the valve casing removed to disclose the underlyingstructure.

Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section of the cylinder block, cylinderhead and valve mechanism, taken through the longitudinal axis of acylinder.

Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line 55 of Fig. 4.

In the form shown, my invention is illustrated in connection with amulti-cylinder engine which includes a cylinder block 1 having aplurality of cylinders 2 therein, the axes of the cylinders beingsubstantially ver- 30 tical. The cylinder block 1 has a cooling mediumjacket 3 extending on both sides of the block, and is provided with acam shaft housing 4: which is located. on the outer side of the rightside of the jacket 3. The housing 35 4 is located at the upper end ofthe block 1 and has openings 5 in its upper wall which are locatedsubstantially at the top of the block. J ournaled in the housing 4 is acam shaft 6 having cams 7 thereon. 00

The cylinder block 1 is provided with a cylinder head 8 which is seatedupon a gasket 9 on the upper face of the block. The cylinder head 8includes a combustion chamber 10 having an upper inclined wall 11 and asubstantially elliptical cross section as shown by dotted lines at 12 inFig. 3. The elliptical shape of the combustion chamber 10 causes theside 13 thereof to overhang the bore of the cylinder thereby bringingthe main body of the charge closer to the s ark plug, and also producingturbulence o the charge at the end of the compression stroke owing tothe restriction of the mouth of the combustion chamber and the trappingof a small portion of the charge between the under face of the cylinderhead and the piston. Formed in the outer wall of the combustion chamber10 is a threaded a erture 14 in which is mounted a spark p ug 15 havingpoints 161 which are located close to the center of volume of thecharge.

Each combustion chamber of the engine has a pair of communicating gaspassages .16, one for admitting fuel into the combustion chamber, andthe other for exhausting the products of combustion therefrom. Thesepassageways lead into apertures in the inclined wall 11 of thecombustion chamber and have an arcuate curvature at their inner end anda reverse curvature at their outer end. The curvature of the passages 16is but slight and in general their courses are inclined somewhat to theleft as viewed in Fig. 4 but the inclination is limited and portions ofthe passages are in alignment, from end to end, with the length of thecylinder. This construction provides direct and unobstructed paths forincoming and outgoing gases.

Formed at the junctions of the passages 16 and the combustion chamber 10are valve seats 17 and 18.

Formed in the cylinder head 8 in related proximity to each combustionchamber 10 thereof are a pair of valve stem supports 19 and 20 in whichthe, valve stem guides 21 and 22 are provided. Slidably mounted in theguides 21 and 22 are valve stems 23 and 24 respectively, having valves25 and 26 on their inner ends which are adapted to be received by thevalve seats 17 and 18 respectively. The valve stems 23 and 24 extendoutwardly of the head and are provided at their outer end portions withsprings 27 which may bear against flanges 128 on the guides 21 and 22 atone end and against collars 29 on the stems 23 and 24, at their otherend. These springs normally tend to retain the valves 25 and 26 in aclosed position.

The intermediate portion of the cylinder head 8 includes a coolingmedium jacket 30' having a passage 31 therethrough which communicateswith passages 32 extending between adjacent valve stem supports 19 and20 and communicating with a passage 33 which extends substantiallyaround the supports.

The cooling medium jacket 31 extends longitudinally of the head 8 andthe passage 31 thereof communicates with a passage 34 on the left sideofthe cylinder head as viewed in Fig. 4. A cooling medium inlet pipe 35extends longitudinally through the passage 31 and has a branch 36 whichcommunicates with a pump 31' which circulates the cooling medium in thedirection of the arrow shown in Fig. 3. The inlet pipe 35 has aplurality of discharge openingz 37 each in registration with a passage32 tween the valve stem supports 19 and 20. These discharge openingsdirect the incoming cooling medium into the passages 32 and circulatethe same around the supports 19 and 20 and through the passage 33. Inthis manner, the cooling medium is directed upon that structure of thecylinder head in which the valve seats and valve parts are locatedbefore the cooling medium has been exposed to the regions of the enginesof high temperatures, thereby protecting the valves, valve seats andtheir associating parts from excessively high temperatures andconsequent warpage or distortion.

Extending vertically through the passage 31 of the water jacket 30 arecylindrical posts tappet rod 41 and valve stems 23 and 124 aresubstantially parallel to each other and they are inclined with respectto the axis of the cylinder 2 at a suitable angle, so as to permit theformation of the above described gas passages 16 in the cylinder head 8.It has been found that the inclination of the valve stems and thesupports in which they are slidably mounted, may vary only withindefinite limits without introducing certain disadvantages or preventingother advantageous constructions from being included in the presentinvention. If the inclination of the valve stems is less than 25 to theaxis of the cylinders it is necessary to incline the gas passages 16further to the left than is shown in Fig. 4, resulting in the formationof a less direct path for the incoming and outgoing gases, and whichmoreover interferes with the disposition of the spark plug and cylinderbolts. If the valve'stems are inclined with respect to the axis of thecylinder at an angle greater than 35 degrees, the width of the c linderhead is by a cross bar 45 in which apertures 46. are I formed. Threadedin each aperture 46 is an adjustable bolt 47 having a substantiallysemi-spherical lower end 48. A rocker arm 49 having a recess 50 at itsintermediate portion in which the semi-spherical head 48 is 5 seated,bears at its ends upon the outer extremity of the valve stem 23 as shownin Fig. 4 and the tappet rods 42, each valve stem 23 and 24 beingprovided with a rocker arm 49 of the form shown in Fig. 4.

The rocker arm 49 must be prevented from turning and getting out of linewith the valve stems 23 and 24 and tappet 42, and one method of doingthis is by means of a U-shaped clip 51 mounted on the right end of-thearm and having side portions which extend downwardly and engage thesides of the ta pet rods. The inner end of the tappet r 42 extends intothe cam shaft housing 4 throu h the aperture 5 therein and rests upon te cam 7 ofthe cam shaft. The cam shaft 6 and cam 7 act directly upon theinner end of the tappet rod 42, thus obviating the necessity of pushrods and long train of valve actuatin mechanisms which are subjected toconsi erable thermal expansions and cause the valve clearance to bevaried during heating of the engine. The overhead valve mechanism isinclosed within a casin 52 removably mounted on the head 8 by bolts 53and nuts 54. Lubricant may be be suitably fed to the various wearingsurfaces within the casing 52 which prevents its subse uent escape, aportion of such lubricant fin ing its way into the recesses 50 of therocker arms 49 where it provides a bath of lubricant for the wearingsurfaces therein.

The adjustment bolts or pivots 47 may be conveniently adjusted while theengine is running and they may be set in an adjusted posi- 40 tion bylock nuts 55 so as to predetermine the valve clearance. Adjustment ofthe bolts 47 may also be relied upon to take up for wear between themoving parts of the valve actuating mechanism.

Although but one specific embodiment of this invention has beenherein'shown and described, it will be understood that numerous detailsof the construction shown ma be altered or omitted without de arting mm50 the spirit of this invention as efined by the followin claims.

What claim is: 1. In an internal combustion engine, a block having a clinder therein, and a water jack- 55 eted cylin er head on said blockhaving a combustion chamber and a communicating passage, therespectively opposite end portions of said passage having substantiallyarcuate curves of reverse curvature and por- 60 tions of said passagebeing in alignment from end to end with the length of said cylinder. 2.In an internal combustion engine, a block having a cylinder therein, acylinder head on said block including a combustion chamber and acommunicating passage havmounted in said cylinder head and extending atan inclination toward the opposite lateral side thereof. I

3. In an internal combustion engine, a block having a cylinder therein,a c linder head on said block including a com ustion chamber and acommunicating assage having oppositely reversely curve u per and lowerarcuate sections and exten ing in a course generally inclined toward onelateral side of said cylinder head, portions of said passage being inalignment from end to end with said combustion chamber, a valve at thejunction of said passage and combustion chamber having a stem slidablymounted in said cylinder head and extending at an inclination toward theopposite lateral side thereof, a tap et carried by and slidably mountedin sai cylinder head extending substantially parallel. to said valvestem, and means mounted on said cylinder head for transmitting movementfrom said tappet to said valve.

4. In an internal combustion engine, a block havin a cylinder therein, acylinder head on sald block having a combustion chamber and acommunicating passage extending from the roof of said chamber to the topof said cylinder head at an inclination toward one side wall thereof andhaving successively adjacent portions in alignment from end to end withsaid combustion chamber, a' valve at the junction of said passage andsaid combustion chamber 3 ving a stem slidably mounted in said cylinderhead and extending toward the opposite lateral side thereof, a tappetslidably mounted in and carried solely by said cylinder head extendingsubstantially parallel to said valve stem, said passage, valve stem andtap et being confined wholly within the lateral sides of said cylinderhead and substantially aligned transversely of the latter, and meansmounted on said cylinder head for transmitting movement from said tappetto said valve.

' BALFOUR READ.

